William Barton (musician)

Last updated

William Barton
Born (1981-06-04) 4 June 1981 (age 42)
Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia
Occupation(s)Musician, didgeridoo player
Website williambarton.com.au

William Barton is an Aboriginal Australian didgeridoo player. He was born in Mount Isa, Queensland on 4 June 1981 [1] and learned to play at the age of 11 from Uncle Arthur Peterson [2] an elder of the Wannyi, Lardil and Kalkadungu tribes of Western Queensland. He is widely recognised as one of Australia's finest traditional didgeridoo players and a leading didgeridoo (yidaki) player in the classical world. [3] [4]

Contents

Barton has said, "The yidaki embodies everything of the land, because it’s from the tree, it’s the breath of life and the land, of sustenance to us as human beings. It embodies the history of those old trees. The yidaki has memories, it’s the breath of our ancestors, particularly when the instrument is passed on physically from one person to the next." [2]

"I'm doing what I love," Barton says. "I want to take the oldest culture in the world and blend it with Europe's rich musical legacy." [5]

Barton has been featured on the ABC television program, Australian Story . [6]

By the age of 12 Barton was working in Sydney, playing for Aboriginal dance troupes. At the age of 15 he toured America, after which he decided he wanted to become a soloist rather than a backing musician and started to study different kinds of music. In 1998, he made his classical debut with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and became Australia's first didgeridoo artist-in-residence with a symphony orchestra. [7]

In November 2022, Barton was named Queensland Australian of the Year. [8]

In 2023, Barton become the first Indigenous artist to receive the Richard Gill Award for distinguished service to Australian music. [9]

Performances

Barton has appeared at music festivals around the world and has also recorded a number of orchestral works. He featured in Peter Sculthorpe's Requiem, a major work for orchestra, chorus and didgeridoo, which premiered the Adelaide Festival of Arts in 2004 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Voices conducted by Richard Mills. This was reputedly the first time a didgeridoo has featured in a full symphonic work. [10] The work has since been performed in the UK at The Lichfield Festival with The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham's choir Ex Cathedra, conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore.

In May 2004, ABC Classics released Songs of Sea and Sky, an album of works by Peter Sculthorpe revised for didgeridoo and orchestra. Performed by Barton and the Queensland Orchestra conducted by Michael Christie.

In 2005, Barton performed at the 90th anniversary Gallipoli at ANZAC Cove, Turkey, and in debut concerts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Festival Hall in London. [5] In 2005/2006, Barton collaborated with orchestras, choral directors and composers in Australia, America and Europe, developing new commissions for the didgeridoo. [3]

On 5 November 2014, Barton performed at the memorial service for former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in the Sydney Town Hall. [11]

In 2015, Barton performed at the 100th anniversary opening Gallipoli at ANZAC Cove, Turkey for dawn service. [12]

In 2019, Barton played with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra an orchestral rendition of Down Under at the memorial service for former Prime Minister Bob Hawke at the Sydney Opera House. [13]

In 2023, Barton performed at the AFL Grand Final.

Discography

Albums

TitleDetails
Songs of Sky and Sea
(with Peter Sculthorpe, Michael Christie and the Queensland Orchestra)
  • Release date: 2004
  • Label: ABC Classics (476 192-1)
  • Formats: CD
Earth Cry / Piano Concerto
(with Peter Sculthorpe, Tamara Anna Cislowska, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and James Judd)
  • Release date: 2004 [14]
  • Label: Naxos (8.557382)
  • Formats: CD
The Journey
  • Release date: 2004
  • Label: William Barton
  • Formats: CD
Ancient Souls, Ancient Land
(with Sean O'Boyle)
  • Release date: 2007
  • Label: William Barton
  • Formats: CD
Desert Stars Dancing
(with Anthony Garcia)
  • Release date: 2010
  • Label: Vitamin (MMLL-003)
  • Formats: CD
Kalkadungu - Music for Didjeridu And Orchestra
  • Release date: 2012
  • Label: ABC Classics (476 4834)
  • Formats: CD
Birdsong at Dusk
  • Release date: 2014
  • Label: ABC Classics (481 0962)
  • Formats: CD
The Art of the Didgeridoo
(with Matthew Doyle)
  • Release date: 2015
  • Label: ABC Classics (481 1909)
  • Formats: CD
Restless Dream
(Bob Weatherall & Halfway with William Barton)
  • Release date: August 2021
  • Label: Halfway, ABC
  • Formats: CD, DD, streaming
Heartland
(with Véronique Serret)
  • Release date: 22 July 2022 [15]
  • Label: Halfway, ABC (ABCL0017)
  • Formats: CD, DD, streaming
History Has a Heartbeat
(with Joseph Tawadros)
  • Release date: 12 August 2022
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Formats: CD, streaming

Awards and nominations

Barton was jointly selected with pianist Tamara Anna Cislowska for the 2004 Freedman Fellowship for Classical Music by the Music Council of Australia. [16]

In 2004, he was awarded the Brisbane Lord Mayor's Young and Emerging Artists' Fellowship, [17] and the following year he was a metropolitan finalist for the Suncorp Young Queenslander of the Year Award. [18]

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2023 Heartland (with Véronique Serret)Best Independent Classical Album or EPWon [19] [20]

APRA Music Awards

The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2022 "Spirit Voice of the Enchanted Waters" from River
(William Barton, Piers Burbrook de Vere & Richard Tognetti)		Best Original Song Composed for the ScreenWon [21] [8]

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2004 Sculthorpe: Songs of Sea and Sky (with The Queensland Orchestra) Best Classical Album Nominated [22]
2012 KalkadunguWon [23]
2014 Birdsong at Dusk Best World Music Album Nominated [24]
2021 Restless Dream (with Bob Weatherall & Halfway)Nominated [24]
2022 Heartland(with Véronique Serret)Nominated [25] [26]
History Has a Heartbeat(with Joseph Tawadros)Won

Art Music Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2023William BartonRichard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Musicawarded [27]

Don Banks Music Award

The Don Banks Music Award was established in 1984 to publicly honour a senior artist of high distinction who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia. [28] It was founded by the Australia Council in honour of Don Banks, Australian composer, performer and the first chair of its music board.

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2021 [29] William BartonDon Banks Music Awardawarded

Environmental Music Prize

The Environmental Music Prize is a quest to find a theme song to inspire action on climate and conservation. It commenced in 2022. [30]

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2022"Your Country" (William Crighton featuring William Barton & Julieanne Crighton)Environmental Music PrizeNominated [31]

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) commenced in 2016 to recognize contributions to the live music industry in Australia.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2023 William BartonBest Live InstrumentalistNominated [32]

Queensland Music Awards

The Queensland Music Awards (previously known as the Q Song Awards) are an annual awards ceremony celebrating Queensland's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006. [33]

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2023"Kalkani"Indigenous AwardWon [34]

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References

  1. ↑ Queensland Choir Media Release Retrieved 5 September 2007 Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. 1 2 Harwood, Tristen. "Deep Waters: Interview with William Barton". Deep Waters: Interview with William Barton. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 Artist Profile, Camden Music Festival 2007 website. Archived 29 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Creature Features – Celebrity Pets – William Barton". ABC. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  5. 1 2 Usher, Robin (9 May 2005). "Barton breathes deep for Earth". The Age . Australia. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  6. ↑ "William the Conqueror". Australian Story. ABC Television. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  7. ↑ Bevan, Scott (6 October 2003). "Ancient instrument's new tunes". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  8. 1 2 "William Barton Has Been Named The Queensland Australian Of The Year 2023". The Music. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  9. ↑ Whaler, Jess (2 August 2023). "William Barton to become first Indigenous artist to receive prestigious Richard Gill Award". National Indigenous Times.
  10. ↑ Haxton, Nance (5 March 2004). "Didgeridoo symphony premieres". The World Today. ABC Radio. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  11. ↑ David Marr (5 November 2014). "Gough Whitlam's memorial left lingering sadness, despite the cheers and soaring oratory". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  12. ↑ Cumming, Stuart (24 April 2015). "Didgeridoo player to wow crowds at Gallipoli dawn service". Central North Burnett Times. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  13. ↑ Hawke Memorial: William Barton and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra play Down Under | ABC News , retrieved 9 January 2020
  14. ↑ Album details, Naxos website
  15. ↑ "Heartland by William Barton and Veronique Serret". JB Hi-Fi . Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  16. ↑ "2004 Freedman Classical Fellows – William Barton & Tamara Anna Cislowska". Music Council of Australia. 2004. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  17. ↑ "Young master of Didgeridoo wins prestigious award", William Barton website Archived 19 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ "Young Queenslander of the Year Award – Finalist 2005", William Barton website. Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ "Nominees Announced for the Australian Independent Music Awards 2023". Music Feeds . 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  20. ↑ "King Stingray and Genesis Owusu Win Big at 2023 AIR Awards". Music Feeds . 4 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  21. ↑ "Missy Higgins and Josh Pyke Nominated for APRA Screen Music Awards". Noise11. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  22. ↑ ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  23. ↑ "ARIA Awards 2012".
  24. 1 2 ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award – Best World Music Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  25. ↑ Lars Brandle (12 October 2022). "Rüfüs Du Sol Leads 2022 ARIA Awards Nominees (Full List)". The Music Network. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  26. ↑ Newstead, Al (24 November 2022). "ARIA Awards 2022 Winners Wrap: Baker Boy Leads First Nations Sweep". Triple J (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  27. ↑ "William Barton To Be Awarded For Distinguished Services To Australian Music". The Music . 2 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "Don Banks Music Award: Prize". Australian Music Centre. Archived from the original on 18 August 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  29. ↑ Marshman, Janine (19 April 2021). "William Barton receives award for outstanding contributions to music". ABC Classic. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  30. ↑ "Environmental Music Prize Searches for Green Theme Song". The Music Network. May 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  31. ↑ "Prize". Environmental Music Prize . Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  32. ↑ "Nominees Announced For The 2023 National Live Music Awards". The Music . 5 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  33. ↑ "About the Queensland Music Awards". Queensland Music Awards . Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  34. ↑ "Thelma Plum, Ball Park Music win top gongs at 2023 Queensland Music Awards". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 29 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
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